Tennis Center of the Black Hills

Home
United States
Rapid City, SD
Tennis Center of the Black Hills

4 air conditioned indoor courts offering tennis & pickleball. New owner to the Athletic Club gym next door. Clinics, events, open play, ball machine.

Come take a tour! TCBH is home to the largest indoor court complex in Rapid City and 2nd largest in South Dakota! We have four indoor courts with a large upstairs viewing area. In addition, a full pro-shop (clothes, shoes, racquets ect.) and stringing are available at the TCBH. Members and non-members can both play at our facility. Come out and enjoy the sport that lasts a lifetime!

09/18/2026

Moment that stuck with me from the US Open Women’s final Sabalenka v. Rybakina

Rybakina is serving 40-15 to win the match. Double match points ahead. Then, she double faults! After this mistake, she turns, does a happy-foot bounce, bounces the ball with her racquet, finds a tiny smile, then walks up and serves an ACE to win the Grand Slam Title!

I know from experience: after a big mistake players often spiral. One point becomes many. That little reset right after the double fault is what saved her match. The feet, the rhythmic racket bounce, the tiny smile, those moves brought her back into her body and her decision-making.

You can turn this into a point reset. 1) three quick light bounces on your feet, 2) three soft taps of the ball on the strings while breathing, 3) smile or neutral face, then walk in.

It’s short, repeatable, and gives the brain something concrete to do instead of replaying the mistake.

(First photo from Indian Wells 2024 watching Sabalenka practice.)

09/05/2026

I watched Coco Gauff struggle with the serve in 2024 at Indian Wells. Two years later at the US Open 2026 she turned it into a weapon.

Even for players with every resource, change takes time. She told reporters it took a year to really transform the motion. A year of deliberate work, coaching, and stubborn repetition when progress felt invisible.

I love bringing that back to my players. There are no quick fixes. Real growth comes from trusting the process, doing the small things day after day, and sticking with it when it’s hard.

If you want a simple habit to commit to for 12 months, I’ll help you pick one and build a plan. Message me and we’ll start.

What small habit will you trust for 12 months? 🎾

09/01/2026

“We don’t really talk about weakness.”

That line from John Wroblewski at Coaches Open stopped the room, and it stuck with me. As coaches we’re wired to fix things, to point out what’s missing. I do that too, often with good intentions.

Hearing him reframe the work toward belief instead of deficit made me rethink how I give feedback. He talked about spending time helping the women on his national team see they were as good as he knew they were. That’s a simple shift with big consequences: confidence changes behavior.

So here’s what I’m changing in my coaching starting now.

I will stop leading with what a player can’t do. Instead I’ll name what they do well first, every session. Then I’ll layer in one clear, tiny next step to improve. Short, specific, and belief-building.

My first test: I’ll share this change with a junior I coach next week and ask for honest feedback on how it lands. I want to know if it actually helps them choose the aggressive option more often and feel better doing it.

Coaching isn’t just about skills. It’s about who our players believe they are. I’m trying to spend more time building that belief.

Want a quick script to try this approach with your player? Message me and I’ll send one.

08/28/2026

Full circle moment.

I met Billie Jean King for the first time as a player on my Northern Jr. Fed Cup team. I was a shy 18 yr old, but Coach Felicia encouraged us to go up to her and shake her hand, so we did. Felicia played against BJK on tour!

Now, 20 years later I had the amazing opportunity to meet Billie Jean King again at the Coaches Open. This time, our women in coaching cohort leader, Nancy, told me to show BJK the photo from 20 yrs ago and BJK would remember. I thought, no chance! Well, I did show her the photo and she REMEMBERED.

BJK is why I got a scholarship to play D1 tennis. She fought for Title 9. She was also in the room creating our cohort.

BJK has changed the world for girls and women in sports. And she doesn’t stop. She keeps going, paving the way and showing us to never stop believing in yourself. I’m carrying that message with me home to my players: I know it’s hard some days, but keep going. Billie Jean King believes in you, and I do too.

Thank you to BJK, USTA coaching, Megan, Nancy, Skylar for making our cohort and this opportunity. Forever grateful!

Photo credit: David Nemec/USTA

08/18/2026

Happy birthday ANNIE! Thank you for all you do for our tennis community!

08/16/2026

Here's one simple, measurable sign a player is getting more confident on court: they choose the aggressive shot.

When a player learns a new shot we drill it until it feels possible. Then I watch to see if they actually pick it in a rally, not just when coached to. That choice to be aggressive is huge.

How I measure it: count how many times they choose the aggressive option (and put the ball in) during a 20-minute rally drill, track it across 3 sessions, and look for a steady rise. I also note consistency, how often the ball lands in play when they go for it.

Why it matters: doing breeds confidence. Hitting the shot, putting it in, and celebrating a tiny win, a fist pump, a grin, helps them notice progress and choose it again.

If you want a quick drill to build that habit, message me and I’ll send one.

08/14/2026

Good luck at college Maddy! To say you will be missed is an understatement. We believe in you and can’t wait to see all your big dreams come true!

08/09/2026

God bless the USA!

08/08/2026

Want one simple rule for being a great sports parent? Support the coach, support your player.

I know from experience: when parents try to coach from the sideline, it adds pressure and takes away the fun. Let the coach take the reins. Be present, cheer effort, celebrate small wins.

If you have things you want your child to work on, then share them with the coach. If you have positive feedback, by all means share it with your child, and the coach would love to hear it too. But negative feedback never goes straight to the player. It goes to the coach first, who can turn it into a positive learning moment.

Keep it fun. Enjoy this journey with your kids. Encourage hard work, good attitude, and a lasting love for the game.

Want a quick script to use after a game? Message me and I’ll send one you can use with coaches and kids.

08/07/2026

It's time to your doubles strategies and Coach Amber has the clinic just for you! This supercharged 4 week clinic is perfect for 3.5 and 4.0 players! Sign up today!

Address

7802 Albertta Drive
Rapid City, SD
57702

Telephone

+16053421998

Website

http://www.thetenniscenter.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Tennis Center of the Black Hills posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Tennis Center of the Black Hills:

Want your business to be the top-listed Gym/sports Facility in Rapid City?